1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to floating docks and like structures, and more particularly to a floating-dock system having am improved monocoque construction that establishes a unique dock which includes a self-draining, walking surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have been problems and difficulties associated with present state-of-the-art dock structures since they do no allow for complete drainage of a dock surface. All known floating-dock structures employ substantially flat walking surfaces or decking. Decking for dock structures is generally formed by using wooden planks placed transversely across the frame of a dock which comprises a parallel side beams. The use of wooden planks allows for good water drainage, but this type of decking is not very desirable due to its cost and the required constant maintenance.
Therefore, the trend is to provide substantially flat, continuous surfaces such as concrete slabs or large wooden plywood sheets. However, these surfaces create drainage problems since a dock will hold water in the uneven areas, thus forming many puddles or pockets of water that remain for long periods of time. This problem not only creates an inconvenience and a hazard, but also results in water damage to both concrete and wood surfaces.
As examples of several dock structures, one may refer to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,012,533; 3,024,753; 3,053,216; 3,073,274; 3,448,709; 3,730,128; 4,223,629; 4,252,470; 4,260,293; and 4,316,426. There are also Canadian Pat. Nos. 642,128 and 1,025,731; and French Pat. No. 883,692.